UELO Discussion Summary: Mental and Physical Wellness

UELO: Students will develop skills to maintain mental and physical wellness.

When asked what exactly was meant by this, the responses included positive coping in times of stress, conflict management, developing positive relationships, physical activity, nutrition, and financial literacy.

There were numerous suggestions for how the content could be delivered:

  1. First Year Seminar in the Major (FYSM) is a one-credit course that already exists, but because it is optional, not all majors actually schedule them.  Those that do usually have a faculty member and ACE adviser team up for the course, which provides practical advice for how to succeed in the major.  We could require this course for all students, and require that time be set aside for issues of mental and physical wellness.  Consistency across all sections would be important.
  2. Create a new three-credit course that also satisfies the “writing intensive” objective.
  3. Courses within the majors that satisfy some aspect of this outcome (e.g. course on environmental policy that has the physical activity of hiking through Wild Basin or course on sexual predators that has the physical activity of self-defense training).
  4. If the plan to have all freshmen participate in LLCs comes to fruition, then deliver the content through them.
  5. Delivering this outcome completely through co-curricular activities, which would be designated.  Students would choose which of these to complete and provide appropriate documentation for advisers.  It was suggested that we look at the system that Pitt has in place.

If we stress physical activities, we need to be aware of the time and space limitations on campus.

Should the outcome be a requirement?

Preliminary Results: Mental and Physical Wellness?

Students will develop skills to maintain mental and physical wellness.

Question 1. What demonstrable qualities of this outcome should a SEU graduate possess?

Themes/Suggestions: 

  • Knowledge of effective techniques for and importance of maintaining mental and physical wellness
  • Ability to recognize and appropriately respond to risks, threats, and challenges to mental and physical wellness
  • Stress Self-Awareness and Management techniques
  • Ability to successfully juggle competing priorities
  • Time management skills

Question 2. Please provide your views on how this outcome can best be achieved in general education and co-curricular programming.

Themes/Suggestions:

  • Accomplished via co-curricular programming
  • Accomplished within an LLC
  • Physical Education requirement
  • Advisors “map” not only classes, but also time for rest, reflection, and fitness
  • Wellness Seminar
  • First Year Seminar
  • Concepts integrated into Freshman courses
  • Topper Activity App
  • Common Civic Engagement Project

Share your feedback and expertise on the University Essential Learning Outcome (UELO) Question of the Week

question markIn the upcoming weeks, the General Education Renewal Committee GERC) will be conducting a series of short, five-minute “UELO Question of the Week” surveys, each focused upon a particular University Essential Learning Outcome.  The purpose of these brief surveys is to gather faculty feedback on how the general education curriculum can best address our university’s mission and learning goals. Continue reading